Abstract: AIM: To observe the effect of limbs atraumatic ischemic preconditioning (RIP) on the myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. METHODS: RIP were performed in rats by three cycle of 5 min ischemia-reperfusion of hind limbs once time a day for three days.Animals were divided into four groups:sham, I/R, cardiac ischemia preconditioning (CIP) and RIP group.The effects of RIP on myocardial physiological, the onset and duration of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) and the effect on myocardial infarct size and morphologic change after myocardial I/R 24 h were observed. RESULTS: Compared with sham group, the ST-segment was increased (P<0.01).VA, myocardial infarct size, myocardial swelling, interstitial hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltrate were appeared in I/R group.But after pretreated with CIP and RIP, the oxygen demands, the elevation of ST-segment, the duration of VA, the incidence of arrhythmia, myocardial infarct size were decreased (P<0.01), the onset of VA was delayed(P<0.01), and the myocardial swelling, interstitial hemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltrate were decreased. CONCLUSION: RIP has delayed protection effect against myocardial injury in rats.

Key words: limb, ischemic preconditioning, myocardial preservation, ischemia-reperfusion injury